Sarah Tellis, director of Pearl Ministries in New Bern, has been appointed by Gov. Pat McCrory to the newly established Human Trafficking Commission of North Carolina.

The commission was formed as part of the Safe Harbor/Victims of Human Trafficking Act (SB 683) that was passed into law on Oct. 1, 2013.

The new law represents a new direction for the state in the prosecution of human trafficking. One of its main changes is that the state will now look upon underage prostitutes as victims rather than perpetrators.

It also shifts focus from penalizing prostitutes to convicting pimps, johns and the people who may be selling young women into sexual traffic.

A large proportion of young women who are trafficked in America are under 18, Tellis has noted.

Tellis, who is the founder of Pearl Ministries, a ministry built to combat trafficking through education, prayer and direct action, will be sworn in to her new position in Raleigh at about 1 p.m. Thursday by Sen. Norm Sanderson, R-Pamlico, who was a promoter of the original bill.

Sanderson stated that Tellis will attend training classes involving the commission throughout Thursday and Friday. Tellis also will attend a news conference on Friday.

A second swearing-in will be held either Monday or Tuesday in New Bern.

“She was a pioneer [on trafficking issues] in our area,” Sanderson said. “I know she’s going to be a great asset.

“It’s hard to admit there’s a problem like [trafficking] in North Carolina,” he said, “But there is.”

He noted that North Carolina is one of the primary states for trafficking, usually rated as about 10th in the nation. A mixture of numerous interstate highways and the large number of military bases in the state’s Piedmont and coastal areas are primary reasons that trafficking can be such a problem.

Most often, Tellis noted, traffickers keep their women in constant motion, crossing state lines, to make it harder to track them.

Sanderson said the primary purpose of the commission is to educate the state’s population about the problems of trafficking and how to spot it. “There are things to be on guard, to look for,” he said. “It’s a devastating thing for anyone to go through.

“We want to first, identify and then give help to victims to get them out of that lifestyle, and then to convict those that put them in that situation.”

Tellis said, “I am extremely excited and honored to be able to serve North Carolina. I am absolutely committed to working for the freedom of all.”